Coreopsis plant named ‘Buttermilk’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Coreopsis  plant named ‘Buttermilk’ characterized by numerous daisy-type inflorescences that grow to 3.5 cm in diameter, inflorescences that are light yellow, hardy to Zone 6, maybe lower, grass green foliage on short stems, flowering for the whole summer, a low, dense, mounding habit, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Coreopsis verticillata hybrid.

Variety designation: ‘Buttermilk’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Coreopsis and giventhe cultivar name ‘Buttermilk’. Coreopsis is in the family Asteraceae.This new cultivar originated from a controlled breeding program toproduce hardy compact Coreopsis. The new cultivar originated fromplanned cross of two proprietary unnamed Coreopsis verticillata hybridseedlings. The new cultivar of Coreopsis is an herbaceous perennial tobe grown for landscape and container use in a sunny site.

Compared to the parents the new cultivar has light yellow flowers ratherthan yellow and/or a shorter habit.

Compared to Coreopsis ‘Star Cluster’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,035, thenew cultivar is denser in habit with more stems from the crown andbetter branching. The new cultivar has smaller flowers without a centerdark star pattern.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of the new variety. These characteristicsin combination distinguish Coreopsis ‘Buttermilk’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

-   -   1. numerous daisy-type inflorescences that grow to 3.5 cm in        diameter,    -   2. inflorescences that are light yellow,    -   3. hardy to Zone 6, maybe lower,    -   4. deep green foliage on short stems,    -   5. flowering for the whole summer,    -   6. a low, dense, mounding habit, and    -   7. excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (tipcuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttingsand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a nine-month-old Coreopsis ‘Buttermilk’ growing in theground in the trial field in July in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a three-month-old Coreopsis ‘Buttermilk’ growing in agallon container (not shown) in full sun outside in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Coreopsis cultivarbased on observations of nine-month-old specimens growing in the trialbeds in full sun in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardinessmap. Temperatures range from a high of 95° F. in August to 32° F. inJanuary. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The colordescriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2007.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 6 to 9.        -   Size.—60 cm wide and 50 cm tall to top of inflorescences.        -   Form.—Mound.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, stems root easily from stem cuttings.-   Stem:    -   -   Type.—Ascending, well branched.        -   Size.—Grows to 30 cm tall to where branches for flowering            and 8 mm wide.        -   Number of stems from the crown.—About 6.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branched.        -   Internode length.—3.5 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Brown 200A at bottom 7 cm blending to Yellow Green            147B.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Shape.—Pinnately 5-parted with thread-like segments, to            linear on top leaves.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Size.—Thread-like segments can spread to 8.5 cm wide and 5.5            cm long, the terminal linear segment can grow to 40 mm long            and 3 mm wide, laterals can grow to 47 mm long and 3 mm            wide.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Petiole.—2 mm to 11 mm long and 1 mm wide, Green N137A.        -   Surface texture.—Sparsely pubescent on top and bottom side.        -   Venation.—Pinnate, visible main vein the same color as the            leaf on both sides.        -   Color.—Topside Green N137A, bottom side Green N137C.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Long stalked terminal heads of daisy type            inflorescences.        -   Peduncle.—Grows to 4.5 cm long, 1 mm wide, glabrous, Green            137A.        -   Size.—Grows to 3.5 cm wide and 11 mm deep.        -   “Flower bud”.—Globular, 4 mm wide and 5 mm deep, Yellow            Green147B on sides and Greyed Orange 164B on top, glabrous.        -   Receptacle.—Disc shaped, 3 mm wide and 1.5 mm deep, Green            148B.        -   Phyllaries.—In 2 series; first series closet to ray florets,            campanulate, 5 mm deep and spreading 8 wide mm wide, 8 in            number, each 4 mm long and 3 mm wide, triangular, tip acute            and reflexed, margin entire, glabrous on both sides, both            sides Greyed Yellow 164A at the top ⅓ blending to 161A in            middle blending to 147A on bottom ⅓; lower series in an area            3 mm deep and 5 mm wide, 8 linear lobes, 2 mm long and 1 mm            wide, margin entire, tip acute, top side glandular, both            sides glabrous and Green 147A.        -   Lastingness.—Each inflorescence lasts about a week on the            plant.-   Florets:    -   -   Type.—Composite.        -   Ray florets.—8 in number (with 0 to 3 linear upright smaller            florets, 4 mm to 5 mm long and 1.5 mm to 2 mm wide) with no            pistil or stamen, grows to 15 mm long, 8 mm wide, obovate,            slightly reflexed, with the tip obtuse and shallowly            notched, base cuneate, margins entire, glabrous on both            sides; topside Yellow 2D on top half blending to 4C at the            base, bottom side Yellow 4D on top half to Yellow 4C on            bottom half.        -   Disc.—Flat becoming rounded with maturity, 6 mm wide and            becoming 3 mm deep with maturity, Greyed Purple 187B.        -   Disc florets.—Tubular, with stamen and pistil, about 35 in            number, 8 mm long and 1 mm wide, tubular; corolla 5 mm long,            5 lobed, tube Yellow 6C, lobes Greyed Purple 187B; pistil 1,            8 mm long, ovary 3 mm long, Green Yellow 1C, style 4 mm            long, with extruding, 2-branched stigma, stigma and style            Yellow Orange 16A; stamen 5, anthers 1.2 mm long, Greyed            Brown N199B, pollen Yellow 5A.        -   Bloom period.—June through frost in Canby, Oreg.        -   Fragrance.—Slight.        -   Seed.—None seen.        -   Fertility.—Unknown.-   Disease and pests: No pests or diseases have been observed on plants    grown under commercial conditions in Canby, Oreg. No resistances are    known.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Coreopsis plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.